1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a number of embodiments of structures which facilitate attachment of a USB flash drive to an identification badge or identification badge holder, directly or indirectly, such that the USB flash drive is safely and securely retained with or without redundant securing structures and yet can be readily accessed, easily removed and, after use, stored.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives has become a common way for an individual to store, transport, and keep one's information with them. Due to their small physical size and large capacity to hold information, they can be a tremendous asset. Previously, one might have had to carry large quantities of paper documents and larger sized physical media formats for audio, video, or any other type of media they may have needed access to professionally or for recreation. This potentially consumed significant amounts of space and would require carrying these items in hand, in pockets or in some sort of briefcase, container or bag.
The standardization of a large capacity, small form factor electronic digital storage media has allowed people to keep their information with them so that it is easy to transport and may be accessed readily virtually anywhere. The ability to keep devices such as this safe, secure and readily accessible is highly desirable. The present invention provides improvements over existing methods and more efficient ways to accomplish this goal while keeping the devices close at hand.
Portable digital information access/storage devices are made by many manufacturers and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They often are equipped with some form of attachment means to attach them to a lanyard or keychain for carrying. While these methods offer some level of security to the device and a way to locate the device with minimal searching, they are somewhat impractical in many situations:
Attaching the device to a standard keychain may require one to leave one's keys attached to it while is it connected to and hanging from an information system when the device is engaged. This can prove to be less than desirable as it can put undo stress on the device itself and the electronic port-surrounding circuitry of the information system due to the potential excess weight of the other items on the keychain and a downward pulling motion caused by them. This weight may exceed the manufacturer's designed tolerance limits and cause failure to the device or the information system. Also, electronic files on devices such as USB flash drives require care so that they are not likely to become corrupted. Once the device is in use through a connection to an information system, time is required to close files that are open and being accessed and also allowing data/reads and writes to complete before safely removing the product from the USB port. Should someone need a key from the same keychain and the device is on to quickly gain access to something, they may either need to wait to close all files being worked with before gaining access to the needed key, or they may in haste remove the device prematurely and unknowingly cause damage to their data. Having to remove the device from the computer while still needing to work on documents contained by it at that time may also cause loss of productivity in having to close things and later reopen them to continue working later. Due to the serrated edges that cut keys have, keys hanging off the side of the computer system may damage its finish in much the same way car keys hanging can cause damage to a car door while one key is inserted to unlock the car. In having the device coexist with keys having sharp edges, it may also show excessive external wear and finish damage due to having them rub against it continually, thereby damaging the device physically.
Even though there is an inherent sense of responsibility associated with carrying keys, the fact remains that key chains can be lost. Having this device on a keychain can result in the device being lost at the same time. Unlike losing a key to something where the real value is generally in the thing the key goes to, in the instance of losing this device, the real value is in the data that it contains and a much more severe loss can be experienced. Stored on a device such as this could be the only copy of a document or electronic file. This could be the result of tremendous periods of time invested in work to produce the document or file. Unlike simply calling a locksmith, one could be faced with needing to reinvest the same efforts it required to create them hoping to restore the work to the previous level of completeness. Many are not aware of the fact that having only one copy of an important work gives a single point of failure. When backup practices are not employed regularly and a loss occurs, the results can be devastating.
If one wears this device on a traditional lanyard, the device is kept out in the open on ones person and this may not be desirable for a number of reasons. Beyond the value of the physical device itself, the information contained on the device may be valuable or sensitive in nature. Having the device in plain sight may encourage a thief to attempt to steal it by yanking it off the lanyard. Also, existing methods of attaching the device to a lanyard employ only a single latching or holding mechanism. This can become a single point of failure. Should the device not have been latched properly to the lanyard, or should an unanticipated action cause the latching mechanism to come apart, the device could drop to the ground and not be noticed as missing at the time. This could result in physical damage or could cause the device and its contents to be permanently lost. Additionally, in the case of confidential information being carried on the device, it could potentially fall into the hands of individuals that should not have access to it or knowledge of the information.
Some organizations require employees to wear items tethered to lanyards from their necks such as identification badges. Having to wear an additional lanyard around one's neck to support this device may increase the chances of susceptibility to physical harm to the individual wearing them. Should the individual manage to get the lanyards hanging from their neck caught on something, the chances for choking or other physical injury may be increased due to the strength added by this secondary rope-like layer around their neck.
In professional environments where identification badges must be worn, having an additional item to wear may appear to be unsightly and sloppy as there is often a focus towards fashion equating to professionalism. Something additional visibly hanging from one's body on clothing may prove to be undesirable as it detracts from one's clothing and professional appearance.
Due to the trend towards increased levels of security in many work environments and organizations, identification badges have become commonly worn on one's person and are generally displayed prominently for visual identification. Identification badges often consist of a plastic card that on one side has printed information such as a picture, name and organizational information. The reverse side can contain magnetic data strips or other forms of embedded electronics for allowing access through security systems. These cards are often carried in a holder which either clips to one's clothing or is worn hanging from a lanyard.
Identification badges and identification badge holders are often attached to one's person by the following ways, for example, (a) lanyard fitting around one's neck or (b) an ID strap clip consisting of a piece of vinyl material with snaps that can form a loop to insert into a receiving slot in a badge holder or in some cases a slot cut directly into the ID badge itself or (c) by way of a retractable apparatus that can allow for pulling the identification badge or holder away from one's person for temporary use and then allows for direct retraction of the badge or holder towards the base point from which it was moved. This method uses some sort of string inside an encasement that attaches to one's clothing generally by way of a spring load clip.
Common rigid ID badge holders offer a structure through which the identification card may slide in and out. They generally consist of three bordering, closed sides and have one open side. While the card is in a stored or display position, the holder securely holds its edges while displaying one's visually accessible information for others to review. When the card is needed to be removed temporarily for reasons such as swiping into a card reader or moving into a proximity field where it might be examined for needed information, it may simply slide out through the open side of the holder and then be reinserted through the same passageway.
Devices normally requiring a lanyard or case of their own can be integrated into the available space of a structure designed to carry an identification badge. This reduces the number of steps one has to take in order to secure or remove what they are carrying. It also conceals the device while keeping it readily available and physically secure.
Often the information contained on a device such as this has a value much greater than the device itself. The ability to keep this small electronic device that can hold a tremendous amount of information physically secure is, therefore, important.
Having ready and rapid physical access to one's information makes the functionality of the device even more of an asset. Other methods of carrying a portable electronic storage device may take longer to get from a dormant or stored state to an in-use state due to the time it takes locate it, make it usable and insert it into an information systems port.
A commonly perceived deficiency that many portable digital information access/storage devices have is that while end caps are often used to protect the device while not in use, a place to keep the end caps while the device is in use is often not included in most designs or may not be well implemented. In some designs, the end cap may not fit tightly to the back of the device as would the cap from a ball point pen, for example, when removed from the front and moved to the rear for storage while the pen is in use. In these cases, the device cap could fall off, be lost or be crushed on the floor as one accidentally steps on the cap. In other cases, the place an end cap would go is also where the device may connect to an optional carrying apparatus such as a lanyard or keychain. When the carrying apparatus option is used, as it commonly is, it interferes with where the end cap would be stored making it difficult to keep in that location while the device is in use. Other designs make no effort to incorporate a temporary storage place for the end cap. In these cases, end caps are often left separately from the device and placed somewhere nearby such as on a desktop. It is easy to forget them when leaving an area when a session with a device is concluded. Some individuals will place the cap in a clothing pocket where it may be forgotten and run through a laundry cycle where it could be damaged or melted due to heat or possibly ruin clothing. Also, in the case of placing an end cap into one's pocket, it may take longer to remove it when it is desired or may even rest itself uncomfortably against the body causing irritation. Often users will elect to not use the end cap at all which renders the device less protected from the elements. Some of the embodiments described in the present invention offer a practical and secure place to store end caps while the device is in use and the end caps are removed from the device. None of the embodiments require that an end cap be used or be present as some individuals chose to not use them at all. Leaving the end cap off saves them time and allows users to employ the portable digital information access/storage device more quickly without having to take it off and replace it, although the user gives up some level of protection for the device in doing so.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,393 discloses a badge strap attachment structure which facilitates attaching a badge to clothing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,207 discloses an identification badge assembly adapted to be worn around the neck of the user and structured to have products, such as pharmaceuticals attached thereto, as well as providing a support for eyeglasses.
Published United States Patent Application US2002/0153400 discloses a carrying case structured to be worn around the neck and having a window for insertion of an ID badge and a rear pouch for insertion of a personal assistant device.
Despite these known constructions, there remains a very real and substantial need for a carrier for securing a USB flash drive to an identification badge holder or identification badge.